Mixing device



May 21, 193,5. A, l.. KURZ MIXING DEVICE FiledApril 14, 19:54

lll

i `efficient agitating motion for mi lfatented May 21, 1935,

PATE-NT oFFicE* i MIXING DEVICE Arthur L. Kurz, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Kurz Company, Chicago, Ill., a copartnership comprised of N. W. Kurz, W. C. Kurz, and A. L.

Kurz

Application April 14, 1934, Serial N0. 720,604

The invention relates generally to mixing or agitating `devices and more particularly to power driven devices of this character which are adapted for mixing or agitating liquids.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a power driven device of this character adapted to clamp and support a conven- V tional cocktail shaker and to impart thereto an U 'ng the ingredients contained in the shaker.

Another` object is to provide such a device having a support or carriage forthe shaker which has an yupright position for loading and unloading the shaker and a generally horizontal position during the mixing operation.

Another object is to provide a new, improved and efcient drink mixer, the operation of which tends to arrest interest and thereby stimulatetrade. 'Y

Another object is to provide such a mixing device having convenient and simple `means, for clamping and unclamping the shaker.

" Other objects and advantages will become aplparent from the following description taken in 'connection' with the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Figure 1 isa side elevational view-of a ma-f chine' embodying the featuresof the invention, V, the carrier being lshown v,in its loading position.

drawing and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment of the invention together with one alternative embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that this disclosure is given for thepurpose of illustrating the invention and is` notintended as a limitation of the inventiontoV the constructions disclosed. In the appended claims, I aim to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the scope of the invention.

the form'chosen for disclosure herein the hollow base I0 upon the top `of which an oscillatory holder `or carriage II of elongated; form is mounted to support and oscillate `a container Usuch as a conventional cocktail shaker I2., ,The` 'base I0 is, in the present instance, relatively' invention is embodied in a machine having a 1o claims. (c1. 259-75) large and heavy so as to obviate the necessity for securing the base to the table or standard upon which it rests. Within the base I0, and secured upon the removable bottom plate I 3l thereof, vis a driving means such asa universal electric motor I4, controlled by 4a 'switch I5 on the base, and operable through suitable reduction gearing and other associated connections to impart an oscillating movement to the car-d riage II.

The reduction gearing preferably `comprises a worm gear I6 mountedin overhanging relation in a bearing I'I on the bottom plate I3 and driven by a worm I8 `fixed on the shaft ofthe motorV I4. To the exposed face of the worm gear I6 and eccentrically thereof, one end of an4 operating link I9 is pivoted by means of AaA bearing pin 20 so that in the `rotation of the gear I 6 the link I9 is shifted endwise with a generally reciprocatory motion. The, link I9 extends upwardly from the gear I6 and .projects through a slot 2| in the top of the base I0 .for-

operative connection with the shiftablef car-y riage I I.

generally horizontal operating` position during,

the mixing operation `(shown in Figs. 2 and-3) and to provide for a generally vertical rest position (shown in Fig. 1) for purposesof loadingand unloading. In 'its `operating position, the. car-4 riage `I I is preferably rocked back and forth, and an endwise reciprocatory movement is imparted thereto so that the contents'of ,theshaker is l, dashed back and forth from end to end` in the,

shaker and is efciently mixed. To obtain this action, the carriage II is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis located substantially midway between its ends and a substantial `distance laterally of, or beneath the central`.axis

of thevshaker I2.` i Y Thus, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the. drawing,

, the carriage I I has a central bracket 25 with arms 26 extending downwardly therefrom for pivotal connection at ,their ends with a supporting shaft 21. ,The shaft 21 is mounted horizontally abovethe base YI0 onstandards 28 projecting upwardlyfromr the base. Eccentrically of the supporting shaft ZIl the-projecting end of the link I9 is connected to the bracket 25 sc that the reciprocation of the link imparts a rocking motion to the bracket 25 and the carriage II.

The connection between the link I9 and thelloading position, and to this end present embodiment provides a transverse slot 2| in the link I9 for engagement with a pin 38 on the bracket 25.

A spring 3| positioned within the base and acting between the link and the base serves to urge the link toward the pin 38 and thereby preserves the operative relation of the link and the bracket 25.

When the carriage is to be shifted to its loading position'of Fig. 1, the link I9 is retracted by the operator against the force of the spring 3| so as to release the carriage. It will be noted that the bracket 25 is so proportioned with relapositioning arms 38 may also be provided for' embracing and engaging the sides of the shaker l2 intermediate its ends to position the parts of the shaker with relation to each other and to the carriage.

' Such positioning arms are of particular utility in connection with a shaker of the form herein shown. This shaker comprises a conventional bar glass |22L and a tapered cover |2b formed of metal and of a slightly larger size so that it may be clamped over the top 'of the glass iZa in tightly sealed relation to the upper edge of the glass.

The clamp 36 is', in the present case, mounted in fixed position adjacent the end of the carriage which is uppermost when the carriage is in its loading position. while the clamp 31 is mounted for longitudinal shifting movement along the rods 35 adjacent to the other end of the carriage. Each clamp preferably comprises a bracket 39 having spaced parallel bores 4@ therein through vwhich the rods 35 extend.` From each bracket 39 an arm 4I projects in the same direction as'thej positioning arms 38 to support opposed cup-shaped Vmembers 42 which 'are adapted Vto t over 'the oppositeends of the shaker l2.

Thus-by slippingy clamp 31 along the rods toward the center of the carriage, that isup wardly from the released position shown in Fig. 1, both ends of the shaker may be embraced to hold the shakerA elements |2a`and I2lo together in: tightly sealed relation, while the flanges 42al ofA the clamp members 42 hold the ends of the shaker against lateral displacement, and the positioning arms 38 maintain theicentral section of the'shaker in position. The inner surfaces of the arms 38 are shaped to a taper` which corresponds with the taper of the shaker section I2b,

and as the clamp 31 is applied, the shaker is moved upwardly between the arms 38 until the tapered exterior ofthe section I2b is engaged by thearms 38. The clamp 38 is therefore positioned on the rods 35 with due "regard for the degree of taper of the section IZb so as to insure proper functioning of the arms 38 as well as the clamp 36. s

Preferably the clamp 31 is constantly urged tovward Aits v effective position by means such as a contractile spring 45 acting lbetween the bracket 25v and the clamp 31, andmeans is provided whereby the clamp'31 may be retracted for loading or unloadingpurposes. In the form shownv in Figs. 1 to 2, this means comprises a rock shaft 46 journaled in the base l0 and having arms 48 thereon which may, by rocking movement of the shaft 45, be engaged with pins 49 projecting from the opposite sides of the bracket of the clamp 31 to retract the same. Such engagement may take place, of course, only when the carriage is in its vertical or loading position, and rocking movement of the shaft 45 is effected by' a handle 58 fixed on one projecting end of the shaft. When the clamp 31 has been fully retracted, the pins 48 engage notches 48a in the arms 43 so that the retracting force of the clamp spring acts to rotate the arms 48 slightly upwardly until the lower end of the carrier is rotated into abutment with the base i3. This action locks the clamp 31 in its released position.

`In `the form shown in Fig. 3 two cam plates 55 are Xed at one end of the base i in projecting positions wherein the cam surfaces 55 formed by the edges thereof are engaged by the pins 49 as an incident to the movement of the carriage to its loading position. The cam surfaces 56 are so 'formed that the completion of the downward rocking movement of the carriage serves to shift the clamp 31 to its retracted position. Notches 51 are engaged by the pins 49 when the clamp 31 has been fully retracted so as to maintain this relationship until a positive return motion is imparted tc the carriage by the operator.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the character described comprissupporting said carriage for limited oscillating movement back and forth about an axis extendingv transversely of said carriage for the purpose of mixing materials in such a shaker, and for other' movement to a substantially vertical position wherein such a shaker may be loaded thereon, and means for imparting such oscillating movement to said carriage.

2. A mixing device comprising, in combination, an oscillating carriage, means on said carriage for clamping the sections of a shaker endwise against each other and against transverse displacement with respect to said carriage, spring means urging said clamping means to its effective position with a force sufiicient to seal the shaker and hold the same in position, means for opposing said spring means for releasing said clamping means, said releasing means being operable to latch said clamping meansin its released relation, and means for oscillating the carriage. 3. A drink mixer comprising a base, a carrier supported on said base for back and forth movement, means on saidy carrier for engaging and clamping the opposite ends of a shaker to hold the sections of the shaker together and secure the same in'xed relation to the carrier and means mounted directly on said base and adapted to cooperate with the clamping means on'said carrier for releasing said clamping means.

4. A device of the character described comprising a frame, a carrier, clamping means for securing a shakeron said carrier, means supsubstantially upright to an .operating position whereinsuch ashaker is located substantiallyy horizontal, said supporting means also providing for back and forth movement of said carrier while in saidroperating position, means for imparting such back and. forth movement to said carrier, andfopler'atingh` means for said clamping means acting automatically to open said clamping means as the carrier is moved to its loading position and to close said clamping means as the carrier is moved from its loading position to its operating position. i

5. A device of the characterdescribed comprising a frame, an elongated carrier mounted on said frame for movement about a substantially horizontal axis to a loading position wherein said carrier is substantially vertical with one end adjacent one side of said frame, and said carrier also being movable to a limited oscillatory cycle back and forth about said axis to provide an operating stroke in the central portion of which the carrier passes through a substantially horizontal position.

6. A device of the character described comprising a frame, an elongated carrier mounted on said frame for movement about a substantially horizontal axis to a loading position wherein said carrier is substantially vertical with one end adjacent one side of said frame, said carrier also being movable back and forth about said axis through an operating stroke in the central portion of which the carrier is positioned substantially horizontal, clamps at opposite ends of said carrier for engaging the ends of a shaker to position the same transversely of said axis and spaced laterally therefrom, the clamp which is adjacent said frame when the carrier is in its loading position being shiftable to an unclamped position, and means carried by said frame for operating said clamp.

7. A device of the character described comprising a base, an elongated carrier pivoted intermediate its endson a horizontal axis, said carrier being shiftable about said axis to a substantially vertical loading position, actuating means carried by said base operable to oscillate said carrier about said axis, said actuating means having a releasable connection with said carrier to permit movement of said carrier to said loading position, clamping means on said carrier operable to secure a receptacle on the carrier, and means on said base operable as an incident to the shifting of said carrier to its loading position to release said clamping means.

8. A device ofthe character described comprising a base, an elongated carrier pivoted intermediate its ends on a horizontal axis, said carrier being shiftable about said axis to a substantially vertical loading position, actuating means carried by said base operable to oscillate said carrier about said axis, said actuating means having a releasable connection with said carrier to permit movement of said carrier to said loading position, clamping means on said carrier operable to secure a receptacle on the carrier, and means for releasing said clamping means.

9. A device of the character described comprising a base, an elongated carrier pivoted intermediate its ends on a horizontal axis, said carrier being shiftable about said axis to a substantially vertical loading position, actuating 4means carried by said base operable to oscillate said carrier about said axis, said actuating means having a releasable connection with said carrier to permit movement of said carrier to said loading position, clamping means on said carrier operable to secure a receptacle on the carrier, resilient means constantly urging said clamping means to its clamped position, and means for releasing said clamping means against the force of said resilient means.

10. A mixing device comprising, in combination, a base, an elongated carriage mounted on said base for oscillation through an operating stroke and for other movement to a substantially vertical loading position, normally closed clamping means on said carriage operable to secure a shaker thereon, and means operable as an incident to the movement of said carriage to its loading position to release said clamping means and to latch said carriage in said loading position with the clamping means releasedand conditioned for reloading of the carriage.

ARTHUR L. KURZ. 

